What I take from every shut down is frustration at the fact they have to pass continuing resolutions iat all. Do their damn job and get a budget, pass the appropriations and get it done by October 1st rather than all these CRs they are faced with. That is what makes me mad about the whole thing.

These shutdown really piss me off. There has to be a better way to do things, especially since congress has always offered back pay to affected workers, so no money is saved.

My dad passed away on December 21st, the first day of the shutdown. It has been really difficult to get everything that needs to get done accomplished. I took the day off work to take my mom around only to find the social security office closed and the VA short staffed. Luckily the VA cemetary was open, but only because during previous budgets they funded the VA for 2 years. Anyone who thinks these "non-essential" workers are not essential haven't had to deal with a death of a veteran during a shutdown (and holidays).

Oh, and the national parks are getting trashed (literally) during the shutdown. I hate for people to not be able to visit a national park on a long planned vacation because of a government shutdown, but you can't operate a park without restrooms, trash pickup (since people obviously don't have enough sense to take trash out with them), and rangers on patrol to keep idiots from vandalizing the place. These are essential workers.

Why not leave it down for the next 2 years? Limit the damage this jerk and his disgusting criminal family, and both Republicans and Democrats could get to work saving and restoring values and respect to our nation. Why can't Congress and Senate do some kind of emergency action or something to arrange for any Federal workers still working to be paid? If It got vetoed by the "president ", that would be on him.... The Folks out of work, might just be casualties of Donald Dump''s way of doing business.........Peace........joe

Thanks for the kind words everyone, although I didn't mean for my experience to hijack this thread. I just wanted to share that this little game between the president and congress has more consequences than many people realize.

"Trump Claims Most Furloughed Federal Workers Are Rooting For Him On Wall Funding"

Let's get real. He makes this $hit up at a podium with no evidence to support his statements. I'd be curious of those who are not getting paid are buying into his rhetoric. So...someone can go w/out their paycheck & agree with Trump for who knows how long only to support a wall that Mexico is supposed to pay for. Makes perfectly good sense and logical...right? Only in the world of Trump's little mind.

Trump is now saying he could shutdown for years. Yes, Donald. We believe everything you say.

quote:If you pulled 100 Americans 80% would approve of national security investments. 30% like Trump. Right now politics matters more.

"pulled" vs "polled" but we get the gist.

Curious why you used the term "national security investments"? Most people don't have a problem with that. But what you're referring to & what Trump insists upon are two different things. Why didn't you use use the word "wall"? That would be too easy, right? Because if you follow polls, you would know that the American people don't want a wall.

But we get it. President Limbaugh & VP Coulter insist upon that beautiful wall even though lackey Trump had previously agreed to a budget deal before the real prez & vice prez scared little Don.

Immigration reform should of happened decades ago. Trump understands this. Its time to get a deal once and for all for our own good. Both sides will need to compromise but the wall will be erected where its needed as its a matter of national security. Hoping some bad guys wont cross is the democrats plan. Someone smart said hope is not a strategy.

I do think that immigration policy can be placed among national security. National security doesn't only deal with threats and challenges abroad, it also can cover negative and damaging aspects of illegal immigration.

I think Trump isn't drawing the parallel very well and it is clear he is trying to appeal and convince more people why the wall is needed, which as this point it is such a lightening rod even those who do not follow politics likely have an opinion on it.

My position, as it always has been, is more physical barriers where DHS and ICE say they are needed should be put in place adding more hurdles and difficulty to those trying to enter illegally. Trump has his position, I have mine. They are similar, but not the same. I would've been happy had they followed the Secure Fence Act of 2006 as originally passed.

And, no hijack seen 2112. I hope you and your family are doing as well as you can given the circumstances. Check your PMs.

quote:National security investments and a wall are two completely different things. Not sure what your point is?

The wall resistance is more of a liberal idea that a big scary wall will clash with the American concept living in a liberals head. They dont like the wall similar to not liking an assult rifle. The image is scary bad for them.

1) Months, years of shutdown will impact the 880,000 federal workers who will not be paid till the shutdown ends. Many will not be able to meet rent/mortgage, car loan and other obligations They can become poor, homeless and hungry. Think of a TSA worker becoming poor, homeless and hungry. if you think the abuse at the airport is bad, imagine them marching on Washington to get their retro-active pay.

2) Tax refunds will be delayed. Imagine millions of people who need that money like teachers who only get paid for 10 months per year and use their tax refunds to pay their bills for the other two months.

3) Deep cuts to food stamps. How many millions of people are poor enough and collecting? Imaging millions of hungry people. After about a week of NO food, they will be angry. Week two they will be organized, and guess where they will be heading by week 3 after they have looted some stores to get food. On busses to Washington? I think so. Who will pay for that? The same people who helped pay for the busses for that caravan of Central Americans, I'll just say democratic sympathizers, that way I am not accusing a political party.

4) Who else is effected by the shutdown, look at the agencies. NASA, HUD (Section 8 payments), etc. and no new social security claims will be processed. So people waiting years to get that check, will have to wait longer. How happy will they be?

Opinions on the shut down?

1. It must end soon.

2. The Wall? It must be built, can we borrow money from Russia or Saudi Arabia to pay for it? They both have money and are allies to us. WHY NOT? Saudi could build some luxury resorts on OUR side of the wall as an incentive to them to help.

3. Labor - manpower to build the wall.

a) early work release for prisoners who are in prison on non violent offenses, let them do some time building the wall, and live in man-cave tents/trailers set up for the workers.

b) volunteer army corp of engineer workers.

c) volunteer any ex military who want to help out.

d) any unemployed people who would like a paycheck , they too can live in tents and/or trailers. Those with wives, children could have their wives and kids stay in a trailer with them. I know you are thinking what about sewage from these remote locations. The army corp of engineers can set up some solar powered wells for water and cesspool functions.

Trump has always said THINK BIG. If we don't this country can quickly become a third world country.

[Edited on 1/5/2019 by gina]

____________________"Mankind is a single nation" "Allah did not make you a single people so he could try you in what he gave you, to him you will all return, he will inform you where you differed". Quran Chapter 2 Sura 213

quote:2. The Wall? It must be built, can we borrow money from Russia or Saudi Arabia to pay for it? They both have money and are allies to us. WHY NOT? Saudi could build some luxury resorts on OUR side of the wall as an incentive to them to help.

Sometimes I think you are totally oblivious to what your statements sound like to others!

First of all, we have a borrowing problem already, more is not the answer! Second of all, the two countries you named aren't exactly viewed in the best of light right now, so the US becoming more aligned, or indebted to those countries wouldn't go over well with just about everyone. Bad suggestion.

Nobody can escape what Trump said hundreds of times (or more?) that Mexico was going to pay for it. USMCA has no direct mechanism to pay for the wall as Trump is asserting, and it hasn't been passed yet. If Trump wants to try and make that case, he is not connecting the dots at all - because it would be impossible to actually show or prove where USMCA money (savings or taxes or whatever) are directly going towards the wall in the vein of Mexico paying for it.

I have long supported additional barriers and have a different idea on what or how more border security can be done than Trump does. So I never felt connected to his wall claim and never believed or understood how he could explain Mexico would pay for it. It worked at campaign rallies by someone who didn't expect to get elected. When the rubber meets the road it goes nowhere.

So all these attempts at how the wall can be funded in the shadow of Mexico is supposed to be paying for it easily falls on deaf ears and allows his opponents to continually ask "why isn't Mexico paying for it?"

We will find out Monday, but I hope the people that got together over the weekend can find a way forward. Trump saying he could keep the government shut down months or years is quite reckless. He needs to compromise and the Democrats should compromise. That is how things are supposed to work. Trump just doesn't get how it works yet (2 years in). Both sides lose a little face, get a little what you want and move on to the next issue(s).

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